Ex-PM Noda Delivers Parliamentary Speech for Abe

Tokyo, Oct. 25 (Jiji Press)--Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda delivered a memorial speech honoring the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at a plenary meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

"I wanted to engage in a fierce battle of words and souls with you (Abe) again on this floor," said Noda, Abe's immediate predecessor as the country's leader and currently a member of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

In July, Abe was shot to death while delivering a stump speech ahead of a House of Councillors election.

"How disappointing it must have been to be attacked from behind while looking forward and speaking about the future of Japan with a microphone in hand," Noda said of the assassination of Abe. "I cannot help but feel outraged."

He called on lawmakers to "continue having the courage to stand on the streets" without giving into violence and terrorism.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]